The Davenport City Council approved four programs aimed at assisting small businesses, displaced renters, property owners behind on their mortgage payments and homeless affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funding for the programs are through special Community Development Block Grant funds allocated through the federal Cares Act. Community Economic Development staff expects to start taking applications to the programs later in September.
The City has $939,776 for the Small Business Resiliency Project. The Resiliency Project provides forgivable loans of up to $20,000 to qualified Davenport small businesses that were negatively affected by COVID-19. Businesses must have been operating in Davenport prior to March 16, 2019.
The City has asked the State of Iowa for $275,000 each for the rental and mortgage assistance programs.
The rental assistance program is for individuals and households that have been displaced and would provide a security deposit and one or two months of rent up to $3,000. Applicants will have to meet income guidelines.
Mortgage assistance is for property owners that have missed two or more mortgage payments and would provide up to three months of mortgage payments going forward, up to $3,000. Applicants must show that they were in good standing with the lender as of March 1 and also meet income guidelines.
The homeless assistance funding -- requested at $368,000 -- is to provide vouchers for homeless who have been staying in motels as shelters have been limited due to the pandemic. The funding will be provided to agencies that provide the vouchers.
The City will announce when applications to the various programs will start being accepted.